HARRISBURG, Pa. — State Education Secretary Pedro A. Rivera joined educators from around Pennsylvania at the SAS Institute in Hershey where Rebecca Foxwell was named the 2015 Pennsylvania Teacher of the Year.
Foxwell is a first grade teacher at Lickdale Elementary School in Northern Lebanon School District where she has taught for five years.
“Teachers like Rebecca Foxwell remind us why it is so important to invest in our education system,” said Governor Tom Wolf. “Dedicated teachers are the key to providing our children with the encouragement and education they need to be successful in the 21st century economy.”
“The Keystone Awards are an opportunity to celebrate great teaching,” Rivera said. “Educators can play an enormous role in the lives of his or her students, not only in preparing them to be college or career ready, but by igniting in them an enthusiasm for lifelong learning. All of the teachers recognized today are having that impact.”
Foxwell was one of twelve finalists from across Pennsylvania recognized at the annual Keystone Awards of Excellence. At the event, each educator was introduced by one of his or her students. Foxwell was introduced by Lickdale Elementary School student, Brian Lowen. As the Pennsylvania Teacher of the Year, Foxwell will travel the state to meet and speak with other educators and will represent the commonwealth in next year’s National Teacher of the Year competition.
The Pennsylvania Teacher of the Year program began in 1995 and is co-sponsored by the Department of Education and the Pennsylvania Chapter of the National State Teacher of the Year.
The SAS Institute is the Pennsylvania Department of Education’s annual professional development conference. This year’s theme was College and Career Readiness: Strategies for Student Success. In addition to announcing the Teacher of the Year, the state’s Blue Ribbon Schools were announced and Milken Educator Award recipient, Anthony Angelini, was recognized. The event featured keynote speaker Pedro Noguero.
